Media Censorship Is Completely Arbitrary

Possibly a reason it strikes such a resounding chord when a moment on television is censored is that it leads into a very inside-the-box mentality. While many would simply give foul language, nudity, or violence the vague label of "offensive," few stop to think why. Who are the groups offended by these actions? Why do network executives feel the need to edit a previously existing piece of work into a mold found suitable for their viewers?

Television censorship can occur due to a variety of reasons. As previously stated, all major television and entertainment outlets are formed from one of five major corporations. When stations might claim that their censorship is due to morality, and defending the public, in reality these decisions are based from a public relations standpoint. Whichever programming can present the parent company in the most favorable light is the program that will wind up receiving airtime.

In 2006, an episode of the wildly successful comedy show South Park aired including a notable censored image. In the end of the episode, show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone had written and illustrated a role for the Muslim prophet Muhammad. As a result of this, an uproar ensued, with many claiming that the show had simply gone too far this time. The episode's conclusion displayed the below caption instead of the planned Muhammad illustration. Forgoing an opportunity to simply let the show's creative talent show their scheduled program, Comedy Central insisted on censoring the image to maintain Viacom's reputation.